Lanternflies: They’re Back! The Impact of Spotted Lanternflies on Pennsylvania

February 12, 2020

It’s been a lovely winter away from those pesky Spotted
Lanternflies – but they’re on their way back. As we’ve rested comfortably in
our warm, cozy homes, the Lanternflies lurked around us, hiding away in egg
masses attached to our trees.

One of the questions we’re asked here at Dominion Pest
Control is “what can we do?”. It may seem like the little buggers are
everywhere and, no matter how many you stomp while out on your afternoon walk,
you’ll never get them all.

There are several ways you can contribute to the demise of
these invasive little pests – and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is
asking for your help! Anyone who’s worked with the Department of Agriculture in
the past knows that the regulations surrounding what you can and cannot do pertaining
to commercial and private properties are fairly strict. However, the Spotted
Lanternfly crisis has proven to warrant more drastic measures, calling for
anyone who sees the Lanternflies to take action immediately.

What Can You Do?

One of the most effective ways to remove the threat of
lanternflies is to get rid of them before they hatch. Right now, Lanternflies
are lying dormant in egg sacs all over the trees in Lancaster County. Each egg
sac can contain 50-70 nymphs, and there are often upwards of 70 masses on each
tree in infested areas. Once the eggs hatch, the Lanternfly “nymphs” are
wingless for the first small portion of their lives. They instead walk or “hop”
along the tree, feasting on the sap and covering the bark in a sticky, syrupy
liquid.

By scraping the sacs off the trees before they hatch in the
spring, you can eliminate hundreds or even thousands of Lanternflies before
they even have the chance to hatch. If every homeowner were to scrape the sacs
off each tree in their yard, it would cut down on the 2020 Lanternfly
population hugely.

Lanternfly Impacts on Pennsylvania Agriculture

Unfortunately, the Spotted Lanternfly has become more than
just an unsightly pest wreaking havoc on our forestry. These little buggers
have caused upwards of $50 million in damage and destroyed over 300 jobs in
orchards or forests, with the potential to do plenty more damage in the coming
year.

Moreover, Lancaster County has become a “quarantined” area
in order to stop the spread of the lanternflies into neighboring counties and
states. Businesses that operate within this quarantine zone and need to leave
the zone must obtain a permit showing that they’ve received training from the
Department of Agriculture to comply with the quarantine and bring their
products or services outside the quarantine lines.

Dominion Pest Control is dedicated to the treatment and removal of Spotted Lanternflies in the Lancaster County area. We field a number of calls not only to treat people’s property but asking how many trees we’re able to treat at one time! Let us help you eliminate the Spotted Lanternfly from your business or home property today – contact us to get started!